A rare case of travel-related New World screwworm was identified in Maryland in a patient who traveled from El Salvador, a spokesman from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Maryland Department of Health are investigating the case of the flesh-eating parasite, which was confirmed on Aug. 4, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said. No additional information about the patient’s condition was made available. Advertisement

“This is the first human case of travel-associated New World screwworm myiasis (parasitic infestation of fly larvae) from an outbreak-affected country identified in the United States,” Nixon said in an email. “Currently, the risk to public health in the United States from this introduction is very lo

See Full Page